10-04-2025
A love story of how Darryl Poche became Ponchatoula Strawberry King
PONCHATOULA, La. (WGNO) — We begin at the end.
That's where WGNO Good Morning New Orleans features reporter Bill Wood discovers Darryl Poche as Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival King.
At the end, because in the beginning, it was love that got him here.
You see, he married his high school sweetheart Rhonda. They played in the school band together.
They played the saxophone.
From that music, to more than 40 years later, here they are.
And they are here because Rhonda's parents were strawberry farmers who Poche in the fields fulltime from his job as an equipment mechanic.
Now, here he is, down on the farm and under the crown.
'It's an honor to be the 53rd Annual Strawberry Festival King. To represent all of our farmers for our great industry. And also to represent the town of Ponchatoula as the Strawberry Capital of the World,' said Poche.
Because the king got the girl, they now live happily ever after.
It's a love story in a strawberry field forever.
And that's where WGNO NEWS will be, On the Road at the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival.
Join us or tune in Friday, April 11 at 5 p.m. and 6 to 'jam' at 53rd annual Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival
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